Conveyor chain and support therefor



Nov. 1', 1966 v w. D. AYRES, JR

CONVEYOR CHAIN AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Original Filed May 6, 1963 INVENTORWA LTEIQ D. AYQESJR.

United States Patent M 3,282,402 CONVEYOR CHAIN AND SUPPORT THEREFORWalter D. Ayres, J12, Oaklawn, Ill., assignor to B. H. Bunn Thisapplication is a division of my co-pending application Ser. No. 278,053,filed May 6, 1963, now Pat. No. 3,189,163, for Apparatus for TyingMoving Bundles.

This invention relates to a conveyor chain construction and to a supporttherefor.

Chain-type conveyors are generally driven by sprockets and have securedto or made part of the links thereof supports for articles to be movedby said conveyor. Where the conveyor is horizontal, the return flight issubjected to the force of gravity over its entire length and hencerequires a support to avoid sag and possible undesirable swingingmovement.

An object of this invention is the provision of a simple, readilyconstructed means for supporting the return flight of a conveyor.

Another object of this invention is to provide a conveyor chain which isconstructed to slide along the top of a rail in one direction and issupported in a readily available box structural member in its returndirection, with article-carrying means secured to and movable with theconveyor in both directions.

As a more specific object, this invention has within its purview theprovision of a conveyor chain constructed to have three forms of links,the first form being designed to embrace and retain between them a railon which the chain rides and is supported during an article-carryingmovement of the chain; the second form extending laterally and servingto support the chain on its return. flight; and the third form extendingupwardly and laterally to support article-carrying clamps or the like.

These and other objects and features of this invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment when taken together with the accompanying drawings in whichFIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a conveyorized apparatus for tyingbundles of mail which incorporates a chain drive made in accordance withthis invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view in section, on an enlargedscale, of a conveyor such as that shown'in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view on a still larger scale,of the conveyor of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings for a detailed description of theinvention, there is shown a substantially horizontally disposed conveyor20 which may be used in a.

post office in conjunction with tying machines for conveying bundles ofmail from sorting stations to the tying machines (not shown). Similarlyoriented envelopes are assembled in bundles such as are shown at 24 andlaid upon their long edges into clamping devices, hereinafter to bedescribed, affixed to and carried by conveyor 20.

The conveyor 20 is comprised of a frame 36, which includes a series ofspaced upright angle iron supports 37 disposed in pairs along saidconveyor, said upright angle irons 37 supporting upper cross plates 38and lower transversely disposed angle irons 39. To the upper crossplates 38 are secured spaced longitudinal angle irons 40 and 41, each ofwhich supports a track 42 and 43, respectively. Said tracks are in theform of continuous plates having upper surfaces 44 and 45 for supportingthe moving elements of the conveyor. Also suitably supported from frame36, by means not shown, is a longitudinal plate 46 which provides asupport for bundles 3,282,402 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 of mail moved by theconveyor and prevents said bundles, or the elements thereof, fromfalling through the moving conveyor into the framework 36.

The moving portion of conveyor 20 is comprised of a pair of endlesschains 47 and 48, which are disposed parallel to one another and passover sprockets 49 and 50 disposed on the left hand end of the conveyoras viewed in FIG. 1, and mounted on a common shaft 51 supported inspaced bearings 52 and 53 on vertical frame supports 37.

Certain of the links of the chains 47 and 48, such as, for example,every fourth link, are of T form as shown in FIG. 3, the tail 55 of theT overlying the sides of the tracks 42 and 43 and thus constraining thechain to ride on, and follow, said tracks. It is contemplated, as shownin FIG. 2, that the tails of the T links on two sides of a chain willembrace a track and thus prevent the chain from moving laterally withrespect to said track.

In view of the long span of the conveyor, and, therefore, of therelatively long flight of the chain which is passed underneath theload-carrying flight of the conveyor, suitable support for said chain isdesirable to prevent it from swinging too low and possibly becomingmisaligned with the sprockets at the beginning end (left hand end asviewed in FIG. 1) of the conveyor. The requisite support for the returnflight of the conveyor is provided by longitudinally disposed, box-typestructural members 56 and 57 which are spaced to lie directly belowtracks 42 and 43, and are secured to transverse angle irons 39. Thebottom surface of each of the structural members 56 and 57 is slottedand the ends of the slot are then bent inwardly of the member as shownat 58 and 59 to form spaced longitudinal rails. The links of chains 47and 48 intermediate those having the T links, such as 54, are alsoprovided with T links, but the tails of the T are bent outwardly of thechain, as shown at 60 and 61, to overlie and ride upon the inwardlyturned ends 58 and 59 of the structural member. The laterally turnedtails 60 and 61 of the links of the chains 47 and 48 therefore serve tosupport the chains and their attached letterholding clamps from the boxstructural members while said chains are returning to the entrance orbeginning end of the conveyor 20.

The clamping devices are arranged in pairs 62 and 63, the devices 62 allbeing disposed at stated intervals on chain 47 and the devices 63 beingdisposed in aligned relation to the devices 62 on chain 48. Inasmuch aschains 47 and 48 are driven from sprockets mounted on the same shaft androtatable, therefore, at precisely the same speed, clamping devices 62and 63 will always be correctly aligned.

The clamping devices 62 are comprised of two parts 64 and 65, eachmounted on horizontally extending portions 66 and 67, of certain of thelinks of chain 47. The parts 64 and are mounted on diiferent links sothat as the chain passes over a sprocket, said parts can moveindependently and can separate as required by the geometry of therotating sprocket and chain. This separation is utilized to release abundle as it leaves conveyor 20. Part 64 has a horizontally disposedplate 68 and a vertically disposed plate 69, said horizontally disposedplate 68 serving as a support for the ends of the bundle and thevertically disposed plate 69 serving as an abutment against which :thebundle is to be compressed.

Part 65 has a horizontal plate 70 to the forward portion of which issecured a bracket 71 to which, in turn, is secured a vertically disposedleaf spring 72 curved inwardly of the conveyor and designed to have itscurve end 73 bear against vertical plate 69 on part 64.

Clamping device 63 is similarly comprised of two parts 74 and 75 whichare secured to chain 48 through horizontally disposed portions 76 and 77on separate links of Said chain. Parts 74 and 75 are independent of oneanother, part 74 being comprised of a horizontal plate 78 and a verticalplate 79, and part 75 being comprised of a single substantiallyrectangular plate 80. Horizontal plate 78 serves to support the ends ofa bundle, as does also plate 80, and the vertical plate 79 serves as anabutment for a pressure device (not shown), which "compacts the ends ofthe bundle extending over clamp part 63.

In FIG. 1 the bundle 24 is shown held by the clamping device portion 62.It may be observed that leaf spring 72 has been considerably deformed toexert a pressure upon bundle 24 in the direction of the vertical plate69 to hold one end of thebundle in a compacted condition. The oppositeend, that is, the one cooperating with the clamp part 63, is set at thisstage uncompressed. The means for compressing this end of the bundle isfully described in my aforesaid application.

Thus each chain 47, 48 is comprised of three forms of links, viz; thatform which is T-shaped, with the tails 55 of the Ts parallel with oneanother, a second form in which T-shaped links are used, but the tails60, 61 are bent at right angles to the plane of the T, and a third form,which resembles the second, but is inverted with respect thereto so thatthe laterally bent tails 66, 67 or 76, 77 are elevated above the chain.The first form thusembraces a rail 42 or 43 and maintains the chain onthe upper surfaces 44, 45 thereof. The second form provides horizontallyextending tabs by which the return flight is supported and protected inbox structures 56, 57, and the third form provides portions or tabs 66,67 and 76, 77, to which the load can be secured.

It is understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrativeof -a preferred embodiment of the invention and that the scope of theinvention is not to be limited thereto, but is to be determined by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, an endless roller chain conveyor, and means forsupporting said roller chain, said roller chain being movable in agenerally horizontal direction and having an upper load supportingflight and a lower return flight; laterally extending projections on thechain, said supporting means comprising a fixed frame, a hollow memberon the frame and having a slot on its under side extending the lengththereof, said chain being received in said slot with the laterallyextending projections overlying the edges of said slot, whereby tosupport the lower return flight, a rail on the frame for supporting theloadbearing flight, and vertically extending projections on the sides ofthe chain and adapted to receive the rail between them to retain thechain on said rail.

2. In combination, an endlss chain conveyor having a load-carryingflight and a return flight, and means for supporting said conveyor, saidchain having first, second and third forms of links, said first formbeing T-shaped, with the tails of the T extending in parallel ,planes,said second form having a laterally extending tab, articlesupportingmeans secured to said laterally extending tab, and said third formhaving a laterally extending tab spaced from the first laterallyextending tab, asupporting rail for the load-carrying flight of thechain, the tails of the T of thefirst form retaining the rail betweenthem, and a support for the return flight of the chain, said tabs of thethird form sliding upon said return flight support.

3. The combination described in claim 2, said supporting rail for theload-carrying flight of the chain comprising a vertically disposed platesupporting the chain on the upper edge of said plate.

4. The combination described in claim 2, said support for the returnflight comprising a slotted structural member of box form, the edgeregions of the member defining the slot being turned inwardly, and thelaterally extending tab on the third form of links sliding upon saidin-turned edge regions of said structural member with the links of saidthird form extending through said slot. 0

5. The combination described in claim 2, said support for the returnflight comprising a horizontally disposed box section structural memberhaving a longitudinal slot in its lowermost side, said third form havingadditional laterally extending tabs which extend in a direction oppositeto that of the first-mentioned laterally extending tabs on the thirdform, said third form tabs passing within, and sliding upon thelowermost side of, the structural member, and said third form linksextending through said slot to the exterior of said structural member.

6. In combination, an endless chain conveyor, and means for supportingsaid conveyor, said conveyor being movable in a generally horizontaldirection and having an upper load-bearing flight and a lower returnflight; lateral projections on the chain, said supporting meanscomprising a fixed frame, a hollow member on the frame and having aslot-on its under side extending the length thereof, said chain beingreceived in said slot with the lateral projections overlying the edgesof said slot whereby to support the lower return flight, a rail on theframe for supporting the load-bearing flight, and projections on thesides of the chain and adapted to receive the rail between them toretain the chain on said rail, said chain being comprised of three typesof links, the lateral projections being formed on one of said types oflinks, the projections on the sides of the chain to receive the railbetween them being formed on another of said types of links, and supportmeans for articles to be carried by the conveyor on the third of saidtypes of links.

7. In combination, an endless chain conveyor, and means for supportingsaid conveyor, said conveyor being movable in a generally horizontaldirection and having an upper load-bearing flight and a lower returnflight; lateral projections on the chain, said supporting meanscomprising a fixed frame, a hollow member on the frame and having a sloton its under side extending the length thereof, said chain beingreceived in said slot with the lateral projections overlying the edgesof said slot whereby to support the lower return flight, a rail on theframe for supporting the load-bearingflight, projectionson the sides ofthe chain and adapted to receive the rail between them to retainthe'chain on said rail, and load-supporting-plates on said chainconveyor, said chain being comprised of three types of links, thelateral projections being formed on one of said types, the projectionson the sides of the chain to receive the rail between them being formedon another of said types, and lateral projections on the third of saidtypes, said load-supporting plates being secured to the lateralprojections of the third of said types.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,902,873 3/1933Marone 198-189 2,256,005 9/1941 Wood 198-137 2,731,132 1/1956 Socke198-174 3,004,498 10/1961 Parker 198177 EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.RICHARD E. AEGERTER, Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION, AN ENDLESS ROLLER CHAIN CONVEYOR, AND MEANS FORSUPPORTING SAID ROLLER CHAIN, SAID ROLLER CHAIN BEING MOVABLE IN AGENERALLY HORIZONTAL DIRECTION AND HAVING AN UPPER LOAD SUPPORTINGFLIGHT AND A LOWER RETURN FLIGHT; LATERALLY EXTENDING PROJECTIONS ON THECHAIN, SAID SUPPORTING MEANS COMPRISING A FIXED FRAME, A HOLLOW MEMBERON THE FRAME AND HAVING A SLOT ON ITS UNDER SIDE EXTENDING THE LENGTHTHEREOF, SAID CHAIN BEING RECEIVED IN SAID SLOT WITH THE LATERALLYEXTENDING PROJECTIONS OVERLYING THE EDGES OF SAID SLOT, WHEREBY TOSUPPORT THE LOWER RETURN FLIGHT, A RAIL ON THE FRAME FOR SUPPORTING THELOADBEARING FLIGHT, AND VERTICALLY EXTENDING PROJECTIONS ON THE SIDES OFTHE CHAIN AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE RAIL BETWEEN THEM TO RETAIN THECHAIN ON SAID RAIL.